Liquid cooler



- April 1, 1941. B. e. NEWHALL LIQUID COOLER Filed Dec 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, B NJAMIN G.N WHALL.

ATTORNE Patented Apr. 1, 1941 v UNITED STATES PATENT 8 Claims.

This invention relates to liquid coolers and more particularly to an improved cooler construction, although certain features thereof may be employed with equal advantages for other purposes.

It contemplates more especially the provision of a cylindrical sectional type cooler which is simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and more eflicient in operation.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve the operation of devices of the character mentioned.

Another object is to provide an improved cylindrical sectional type of liquid cooler that is simple in construction and more eflicient in operation from the standpoint of possessing increased capacity per unit area of space requirement therefor.

Still another object is to provide improved combined mounting andcirculating means for a sectional type of liquid cooler.

A further object is to provide a cylindrical cooler having spaced corrugated cooling surfaces without requiring the cooling medium to follow a circuitous path so as to permit the use of the heavy refrigerants.

A. still further object is to provide a cylindrical sectional type cooling device with improved circulating and mounting means therefor.

Still a further object is to provide a cylindrical type of cooling unit provided with improved refrigerant circulating liquid cooling means to render such more com act, less expensive to manufacture, and more efficient in operation.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear View in elevation of a liquid cooler embodying features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view in elevation of a liquid cooler shown in Figure 1, parts of the casing being broken away and other parts being shown in section to clarify the illustration.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the casing section taken substantially along line IJIIII of Figure 2.

Figure 4. is a fragmentary sectional view taken shown in Figure 4 as viewed. substantially from line V-V of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a casing section mount taken substantially along line VII-VII of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional View in elevation taken substantially along line VIlI-VIII of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the liquid cooler shown in Figure 1 with the top cover removed.

The structure selected for illustration comprises a base constituting, in this instance, a steel plate ID of any suitable shape and configuration anchored to a supporting surface such as a floor by means of bolts H. A standard comprising, in this instance, a substantially U-shaped steel beam I2 extends vertically upward from thebase ID to serve as a support for the cooling unit which may be elevated from the floor or other suitable surface at the desired heighth. The standard I2 is welded or otherwise attached to the base I0, and these parts are laterally'supported by an angle brace l3 which is welded or otherwise joined therebetween to rigidify th frame structure.

A cylindrical liquid catch basin M is preferably though not essentially shaped or cast from heavy non-corroding metallic material to present a chambered interior l5 for the collection of the cooled liquid that is discharged through the pipe I 6 communicating with the convexly curved bottom l! thereof. The catch basin l4 with its axial discharge pipe I6 is supported by a laterally extending bracket l8 welded or otherwise joined to the standard I2 to extend oppositely of the angle bracket E3. The basin supporting bracket I8 is preferably provided with a concavely shaped boss l9 on the upper surface thereof to conform with and serve as a complement of the convexly curved basin bottom 11 to support the catch basin M in operative position to serve as a collector of the cooled liquid as will appear more fully hereinafter.

As shown, a vertical aperture 20 is provided in the catch basin supporting bracket l8 in axial relation withthe concavely shaped boss l9 so as to completely and freely receive the discharge pipe l6 therethrough. A circular bushing 2| is fitted around the pipe 16 so as to conform in size with the bracket aperture 20 to preclude lateral displacement thereof and still provide the aperture 20 sufficiently large to permit a threaded flange 22 on the lower extremity of the pipe l6 to pass therethrough in permitting the removal of the catch basin l5 for cleansing purposes.

It is worthy of note that the threaded flange 22 serves to preclude the removal of the bushing 2| from the pipe l6 and with this arrangement the catch basin can be readily removed and replaced without entailing much time, labor, or expense. The liquid collecting housing l4 terminates upwardly, in this instance, in a convexly curved peripheral ridge or flange 23 which defines an inwardly extending open peripheral orifice 24 through which the liquid enters the basin l5 from cooling instrumentalities disposed thereabove.

It is worthy of note that the peripheral flange 23 together with the inwardly extending circular orifice edge 24 presents a shoulder for fitted engagement of the cylindrical casing 25. The cy-' lindrical casing 25 comprises, in this instance, a pair of complemental and substantially circular casing sections 26 and 21 that have a com mon vertical front meeting edge 28 and rearward edges 29 and 30 that extend along the substantially U-shaped standard l2. The standard I2 is, as shown, offset forwardly as at 3! just above the catch basin l5 so as to accommodate the increased diameter of its curved peripheral flange 23 which serves as a complemental meeting shoulder for the casing sections 2621.

Beyond the offset 3|, the standard l2 has a vertically extending portion 32 disposed in parallel spaced relation with the standard 12 to terminate in a straight edge 33 above the pipe joint 52. The casing sections 2621 are mounted on oppositely disposed hinges 34-35 and 3637 that have one of their swinging elements terminating in pintles 3839 and 40-4l, respectively, mounted for slidable displacement in horizontal slots 42 provided in oppositely disposed channelplates 43-44 and 4546 that are welded or otherwise joined to the side walls 4l,48 of the substantially U-shaped beam or standard l2-32.

In consequence thereof, the casing sections 26--21 are capable of being separated and then pivoted outwardly to render the interior accessible for cleansing purposes and vary the pivotal mounting of the upper standard 49 that is superposed and vertically aligned with the lower standard extension 32 for pivotal joinder thereto and angular displacement as will appear more fully hereinafter. To this end, a cooling medium intake or pipe 50 extends laterally through the side wall 41 of the lower standard extension 32 (Figure 5) for sealed communicating joinder with an axial opening 5| provided in a cylindrical housing mount 52.

The housing opening 5| in the pipe housing mount 52 is provided with a concentric counterbore 53 which is threaded as at 54 to threadedly receive an axial aperture packing retaining nut 55. Suitable packing discs 56 are disposed in the counter-bore 53 for retention by the retaining nut that serves to provide a relatively sealtight rotating connection between the pipe 50 and the housing mount 52. The intake pipe 53 is held stationary by a disc ring 51 having a set screw 58 extending radially therethrough to engage the pipe 50.

As shown, the housing aperture 5| in the housing mount 52 communicates with a central chamber 58' that has a radial port 59 extending therefrom to communicate with an intake pipe to constituting a part of an exterior cylindrical wall 6| of a cooling unit 62. The cooling unit intake 60 is welded or otherwise joined to a counthe upper cooling unit 62.

ter-bore provided concentrically of the port 59" so as to effect a permanent connection therebetween to direct the cooling fluid through the pipe 50 and into the cylindrical chamber 63 defined by the inner cylindrical wall 64 spaced from and joined at their upper and lower ends to the outer cylindrical walls 6| to comprise the upper cooling section 62.

In this manner, a cooling medium such as cold water is directed into the pipe 50 and received by the cylindrical chamber 62 disposed between and defined by the spaced cylindrical walls 6I-64 of This cooling medium is discharged from the upper end of the cylindrical chamber 63 by means of a discharge pipe 65 that is welded or otherwise joined in communicating relation therewith (Figure 2). The pipe 65 passes'above the upper standard 49 and is bent downwardly to provide a vertical pipe portion 66 disposed between the side walls of the standard 49.

' The vertical pipe 66 is welded for joinder and communication with the interior of the pipe housing mount 52 (Figure 5) that has a housing discharge chamber 61 separate and apart from the central chamber 58' in the housing mount 52 to communicate with a threaded packing retainer nut 68 similar in construction to the retainer nut 55. The packing retainer nut 68 establishes seal-tight communicating joinder with a discharge pipe 69 that extends through the other side wall 48 of the lower standard extension 32.

A disc ring 16 similar in construction to the ring 51 is secured to the discharge pipe 69 by means of a set screw 1| so that the cooling medium can be circulated in the cylindrical chamber 63 of the cooling unit 62 and the latter may be tilted backwardly about the intake and discharge pipe 50-69 relative to the housing mount 52. It will be apparent, therefore, that the upper cooling unit 62 is rigidly mounted to the upper standard or beam 49 through the intake and exhaust pipes fill-65, respectively, and that the entire upper cylindrical chamber 62 may be tilted backwardly with the pipe housing or fitting 52 which rotates relative to the cooling liquid intake and outlet pipes 50 and 69, respectively, until limited by angular plates 12 and I3 fixed to the side walls 4'l48 of the lower standard or beam extension 32. This is rendered possible by separating the casing sections 26-21 along the channel guide plates 43-44 and 45-46 which are provided with the slots 42 for slidingly mounting thecasing sections 25-21. When fully separated, the space between the casing sections 26-21 permits the tilted displacement of the upper cooling chamber 62 therebetween for cleansing access to both the upper and lower cooling units 62 and 88, respectively.

It is to be noted that the exterior and interior walls 5I64 of the upper cooling unit 62, are provided with corrugations comprising convolutes l4 and 15, respectively (Figure 8) which are spaced in non-contacting relation for welded joinder at their upper and lower peripheral edges 16 and 71 so as to define the enclosed cylindrical chamber 63 that permits the cooling medium to flow in any direction therebetween without presenting any appreciable flow resistance and permitting the use of the flood system through which the cooling medium is circulated by resort to intake and exhaust pipes 5U--60 that may be connected to a suitable cooling medium source such. as cold water to constitute the initial stage of cooling to be imparted to the liquid flowing over the exterior surface of' both the outer and inner cooling walls GI and 64.

The liquid is caused to flow thereover in a thin expansive film by providing an open circular vessel 18 at the upper peripheral common edge 16 (Figure 8). To this end, the vessel I8 is provided with an inclined lower wall portion 19 that has two circumferential series of apertures 80 and 8! spaced to communicate with the exterior and interior surfaces 6| and 64, respectively. To this end, the common meeting peripheral edges 18 of the exterior and interior walls GI and 64 of the cooling unit 82 is welded to a solid circular line of the inclined portions 19 so as to definitely separate the spaced series of apertures 88--8l and insure that the liquid with which the vessel 18 is charged will flow by gravity down the exterior surface of the walls iii-64 of the upper cooling unit 62.

In order to charge the vessel 18 with the liquid to be cooled, an intake supply pipe 82 is axially joined by welding or other suitable expedients to a circular cover 83 that serves as a complement of a cylindrical band 84 which is outwardly extending bead 85 to present inwardly spaced peripheral edges 86 and 81 that serve as a complement of the cover 83 and the casing sections 26-21. Consequently, the casing sections 2621 completely enclose the upper cooling unit 62 that is in superposed and axial relation With the lower cylindrical cooling unit 88. It is to be noted that the liquid to be cooled is conveyed from any suitable source such as a pasteurizing machine through a pipe that is detachably connected through a threaded flange 89 provided on the upper intake pipe 82, thereby establishing the flow of liquid such as milk from the pasteurizing machine or other source through the pipe 82 and into the open vessel 78 for gravity flow outwardly in thin films over both corrugated surfaces 6l64 of the upper cooling unit 62.

The lower cooling section 88 is constructed similarly to the upper cooling section 62, but can be of shorter length owing to the fact that a heavy refrigerant such as Freon can be circulated therethrough. The lower cooling section 88 is of the similar construction as the upper cooling section 62 and has a lower intake pipe 99 extending through the lower standard extension 32 for welded joinder with the interior chamber of the lower cooling unit 88, thereby serving to conduct a refrigerant therethrough and serve as a support therefor in conjunction with the discharge pipe 9! that is similarly attached to the upper portion of the lower cooling unit 88.

Consequently, a comparatively heavy refrigerant such as Freon can be utilized to step-up the refrigeration or cooling effect of the liquid as it passes downwardly in a thin film over both surfaces of the cooling section 62 to the lower cooling section 88 for eventual discharge to the collector or basin l5. It is to be noted that the lower cooling section terminates in a peripheral or circular edge 92 above the open upper end 24 of the collecting vessel l5 so as to permit an attendants hand to be inserted therebetween for cleansing or other purposes. The distance between the lower edge 92 of the cooling section 88 and the open upper end 24 of the basin l5 and their comparative diameters are sufficient to permit the basin iii to be telescoped thereover so that its lower discharge pipe I6 will clear the supporting bracket boss l9 and permit the basin l5 to be removed.

In order to retain the casing sections. 26-2| properly closed to confine the superposed and vertically aligned sections 62-88, a pair of latches 93 and. 94 (Figure 3) are provided adjacent the front meeting edges 28. of the sections 28-2'l to retain. them in closed contacting engagement. The latches. 93 and 94 each consist of, in this instance, a stationery clip 94 for cooperation with a lever 95 'pivotally mountedvas at 96 to a link 91. The link 91 is pivotally mounted as at 98 to a bracket 99 welded or otherwise joined to the casing section 21 proximate to the meetin edge 28,.thereby effecting the detachable closure thereof to preclude the entrance of foreign substances during the passing of liquid over the spaced surfaces of the cooling units 82-88.

It is to be noted that the spacing of the exterior and interior walls 8|-64.ofthe cooling sections 6288 provide corrugations 'M"I5 therein so as to define the increased radiating surfaces preferably though not essentially in convolute form to provide minimum resistance to the flow of the refrigerant or cooling medium and permits the use of a. heavy refrigerant in the cooling sections. This is especially desirable in the lower section 88 in that it can be flooded with a heavy refrigerant such as Freon which is circulated under head pressure of no more than eighty pounds. A light refrigerant such as ammonia requires a much higher head pressure in the neighborhood of I55 pounds so that this feature is especially desirable.

Then, too, the upper cooling sections 62 can be tilted to render the interior thereof accessible for cleansin purposes and at the same time permit access to the interior of the lower section 88. This is accomplished without resort to flexible conduits or hose that would otherwise be required indirecting the cooling medium through the upper cooling section 82. Flexible hose is not desirable in that it frequently leaks and the maintenance requirements thereof are especially great. Then, too, flexible conduit or hose is not conducive to utmost sanitation and the housing mount 52 serves to provide a means of tilting the upper section 62 and yet affordthe use of rigid intake and discharge pipes '5089 that are connected to a suitable source of supply of a cooling medium which may be cold water or even a refrigerant depending upon the best usage for any particular installations dictated by commercial practice.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention or any features thereof, and nothing herein shall be construecl as limitations upon the structure, its concept or embodiment as to the whole or any part thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a liquid cooler, the combination with a cylindrical chamber having spaced corrugated double walls joined only at their extreme peripheral edges to define a closed cylindrical pressure chamber constituting a part of a closed refrigerant system, of means for circulating a refrigerant over the interior corrugated surfaces of said cylindrical chamber, said last named means including a pressure confining path throughout the interior of said cylindrical chamber, means for directing liquid over the exterior corrugated surfaces of said cylindrical double walls to effeet the cooling thereof, a sectional casing surrounding said chamber, and means for slidably mounting said casing sections relative to each other for enabling access to said chamber.

2. In a liquid cooler, the combination with a cylindrical chamber having corrugated double Walls, of means for circulating a cooling medium over the interior corrugated surface of said cylindrical double Walls, means for directing liquid over the exterior corrugated surface of said cylindrical double Walls to effect the cooling thereof, said last named means including a pressure confining path throughout the interior of said cylindrical chamber, and an adjustably mounted casing surrounding said chamber in spaced relation with the exterior surface thereof for ready removal to afford complete access to said cylindrical chamber.

3. In a liquid cooler, the combination with a cylindrical chamber having convolutely corrugated double Walls joined only at their extreme peripheral edges to define a tortuous path for a refrigerant under pressure, said corrugated double walls having their confronting surfaces in uniformly aligned spaced relation to define a substantially unobstructed uniform path for a cooling medium, of means for circulating a cooling medium under pressure over the interior corrugated surface of said cylindrical double walls,

means for directing liquid over' the exterior corrugated surface of said cylindrical double walls to effect the cooling thereof, a sectional casing surrounding said chamber, and means for movably mounting said casing sections relative to each other for access to said chamber.

- ,4. In aliquid cooler, the combination with cylindrical chamber having corrugated double walls, said corrugated double walls having their confronting surfaces in substantially uniform spaced relation to define an unobstructed path for a cooling medium, of means for circulating a cooling medium over the interior corrugated surface of said cylindrical double walls, means for directing liquid over the exterior corrugated surface of said cylindrical double walls to effect the cooling thereof, and an adjustably mounted casing surrounding said chamber said casing consisting of movable sections in spaced relation with the exterior surface thereof for ready removal to afford complete access to said cylindrical chamber.

5. In a liquid cooler, the combination with superposed cylindrical chambers having double walls, said chambers being in axially aligned contact to define continuous external double wall surfaces of tubular means for movably mounting said cylindrical chambers relative to each other, means constituting a part of said mounting means for circulating cooling mediums in each of said cylindrical chambers, means for directing liquid over the exterior surface of said cylindrical double walls of each of said chambers to effect the cooling thereof, and a sectional casing adjustably mounted relative to said chambers to permit their relative movement for access thereto.

6. In a liquid cooler, the combination with superposed cylindrical chambers having corrugated double walls, said chambers being in axially aligned contact to define continuous external double wall surfaces of means for circulating cooling mediums in each of said corrugatedcylindrical chambers,- means for directing liquid over the exterior corrugated surface of said cylindrical double walls of each of said chambers to effect the cooling thereof, a casing surrounding said chambers in spaced relation with the exterior surface thereof, and means for displac ing said casing relative to said chambers to per mit access to said chambers.

7. In a liquid cooler, the combination with superposed cylindrical chambers having double walls, said double walls having their confronting surfaces in spaced relation to define an unobstructed path for a cooling medium, said chambers being in axially aligned contact to define continuous external double wall surfaces of means for circulating cooling mediums in each of said cylindrical chambers, means for directing liquid over the exterior surface of said cylindrical double walls of each of said chambers to effect the cooling thereof, a casing surrounding said chambers, means for displacing said casing relative to said chambers, and means for displacing one of said chambers relative to the other of said casings when said casing is displacedrelative to said chambers.

8. In a liquid cooler, the combination with superposed cylindrical chambers having double walls, said double walls having their confronting surfaces in spaced relation to define an unobstructed path for a cooling medium, said chambers being in axially aligned contact to define continuous external double Wall surfaces of means for movably mounting said cylindrical chambers relative to each other, means for circulating cooling mediums in each of said cylindrical chambers, means for directing liquid over the exterior surface of said cylindrical double walls of each of said chambers to effect the cooling thereof, a casing surrounding said chambers, means for displacing said casing relative to said chambers, and means for displacing'one of said chambers relative to-the other of said casings when said casing is dis: placed relative to said chambers.

BENJAMIN G. NEWHALL. 

